Uconn

KML picks up her game after 1st-half benching By Roger Cleaveland Republican-American

HARTFORD — Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis' uncharacteristic offensive struggles continued in the first half of Wednesday's 83-49 victory over Memphis, but a seat on the UConn bench for the final 7:46 of the first half seemed to put things in better perspective for the junior wing.

Mosqueda-Lewis returned after the break intent on getting more involved and accomplished just that as she finished with a game-high 21 points, four rebounds and three assists.

"I was being a little more aggressive and just not settling for just getting rebounds and just playing defense," Mosqueda-Lewis said. "Kind of trying to get in there a little bit more. I felt like I was being content before. I wasn't really being lax. (In the second half) I was trying to get in the flow of things, trying to be involved the whole time offensively."

Although Mosqueda-Lewis scored eight points in a minute span early in the game, she stopped trying to impose her will on the Tigers. Auriemma didn't like seeing her regress so quickly, especially considering that she was coming off two games in a row in which she failed to score in double figures, shot a combined 5-for-20 from the field and had only three assists.

He benched her, and she took it to heart.

"If you're a competitor, you want to be out there and be able to do something," Mosqueda-Lewis said. "And, obviously, you can't do anything from the bench. He said that it didn't look like I was very interested, and he wanted me to be more energetic throughout the whole game. And he was right. I have to be more involved. I have to be more energetic. I have to keep moving."

Breanna Stewart scored 16 points with nine rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots while Stefanie Dolson recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. She also had five steals and five assists.

Moriah Jefferson only

See UCONN, Page 10B scored three points, but she recorded a career-high nine steals and also had six assists.

Bria Hartley finished with 20 points and five assists. Combined with Hartley's 30 point-performance against Rutgers on Sunday, this marked the first time in her career she has scored at least 20 points in back-to-back games.

"I just think I have a different mentality right now," Hartley said. "When I get that aggressive mentality that I am really a better player. I am just trying to keep it that way for the rest of the season. I just think when you have that confidence going, it is just crazy how much it can really help you. If you are a bad player, it can help you turn things and if you are a good player you can be really, really great."

Hartley snapped out of a little bit of an offensive slump against Rutgers, and she's confident that Mosqueda-Lewis can turn things around with the type of second half she had Wednesday.

Mosqueda-Lewis had made only five threes in her previous four games, shooting 5-for-20 from 3-point range over that span. Wednesday night she shot 5-for-10 from long range.

In the second half, Mosqueda Lewis shot 5-for-8 from the field including 3-for-4 from 3-point range and she was just generally more active.

"I thought in the second half she was more like what we have come to expect from her," Auriemma said. "I think you could tell also by the way she got involved in rebounding the ball and the way she got involved just in the game. The second half she was involved in the game. And when you get involved in the game, your shots have a tendency to go in, too."

Auriemma said Mosqueda-Lewis isn't back to being her old self just yet. He said that is to be expected after she missed eight games with an elbow injury and struggled over the past month to get herself back into game shape and the right mindset. They were both encouraged by game's end.

"I'm not really helping the team if I'm just laying back, if I'm not getting involved," Mosqueda-Lewis said. "I'm kind of putting more stress on my teammates if I'm not kind of getting in there. If I try to cut a little bit harder, if I try to get open a little bit more it opens up my teammates more and makes their shots a lot easier.

"One of the biggest things he talks about is being coachable, and I think that he's right," she added. "It's something that if you want to be a great player, if you want to be a great teammate you have to be coachable. And if he asks you to something you just go out there and try to do it to the best of your ability."

Follow Us

Post a reader comment

We encourage your feedback and dialog. Please be civil and respectful.If you're witty, to the point and quotable, your reader comments may also be included on the Around the Towns page of The Sunday Republican. Readers must be registered and logged in to post comments on the site. Registration is free. Click Here to register.
A Subscription is not required to post comments only a Registration.